Before diving into the legal status of weed delivery in California, you should know some of the things about cannabis. Cannabis is a wider term used for marijuana and hemp products. Various anecdotal experiences show the medical benefits of distinctive parts of this plant, such as flowers, leaves, and stems.
However, there are people at the administrative level that do not believe in this. Also, the psychotic effect of cannabis is something that restricts its legalization. Fortunately, one part of cannabis (hemp) is federally legal; the legalization of marijuana for medical and recreational use is federally illegal. However, some states do not allow both.
The demand for cannabis legalization is continuously rising. As per Pew Research Center's survey, conducted in September of 2019, two-thirds of the total US population supports cannabis legalization. The recreational use of marijuana or weed is legal in California, but there are restrictions. One of the restrictions is on cannabis delivery. You will understand more about it through this article.
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Cannabis Delivery Law California
The pandemic restricted the movement of people in the entire world. The demand for cannabis increased. It created a space for another market, a cannabis delivery market that could deliver weed at the doorsteps. The weed delivery market soon became popular and is continuously booming in the state.
In recent times, the retail marijuana dispensaries in California, particularly Los Angeles dispensaries, have disappeared. The possible reasons behind this are complaints from nearby communities, dispensary zoning requirements, and the potential risk of getting robbed. Most of the retail sellers have shifted their business and have begun marijuana delivery services.
So, now you do not need to rush to the dispensary when your weed stock is over. You can easily order it online like any other product and get it to your door. Of course, everyone wants to take advantage of such services, but there are some things you should know before doing so.
With the expansion of the market, state lawmakers began to control the delivery of services. It was vital to ensure that consumers get good quality pure cannabis. According to the official site of the department of cannabis control, California, "RETAILER (NON-STOREFRONT): Sells cannabis goods to customers exclusively through delivery. A retailer non-storefront must have licensed premises to store the cannabis goods for delivery. The premises of a non-storefront retailer shall not be open to the public."
Before you buy cannabis from a weed delivery system, there are some of the laws you should know to avoid any violation. The next section will help you to know some of them.
Points to Remember While Using Cannabis Delivery System
People wanting to take advantage of the delivery service should stay updated with the changing cannabis laws. Some key points to remember are:
- 21 years is the legal age to buy cannabis. That means you can only use the delivery service and marijuana for recreational use if you are 21 or older. That also includes vaping and consuming edibles.
- The maximum limit you can possess is 28.5 gm of diluted plant material, while if the cannabis is concentrated, the maximum amount is 8gm.
- It is illegal to supply or give weed to minors in any way.
- You are not allowed to drive after consuming cannabis or under its influence.
- You cannot open a food package containing cannabis in public and cannot vape, eat, smoke, or consume it either. It includes sidewalks, residential and business areas, and parks.
- It is also illegal to consume cannabis in areas where smoking is not allowed. It includes bars, places of employment, restaurants, areas within 15 feet of doors, and ventilator openings.
- Since using marijuana for recreational and medical purposes is federally illegal, you cannot consume it in the land possessed by the federal government, even if the land is located in California. That means you cannot consume cannabis in national parks and other federal lands. In the San Francisco Bay Area, some of these lands are Alcatraz Island, Presidio, Ocean Beach, and the Marin Headlands.
- Since the state law allows recreational use of cannabis, you can consume it in private properties. However, it is under the owners' right whether they want to allow its use in their area or not.
- You cannot carry cannabis with you to another state. So, in case of traveling, make sure you do not have cannabis with you, even if the state you are traveling to allows the use of cannabis.
- You need a license to start delivery services.
- The delivery hours are limited from 6 in the morning to 10 in the night. The delivery services are only allowed to distribute cannabis from licensed distributors. Also, they have to follow the pre-decided packaging rules.
- You cannot receive delivery while traveling or being somewhere else. You will only get the order after showing an Id proof, where your age should be 21 for adult cannabis products and 18 for medical use of marijuana.
So, these are some of the rules and regulations to know. The subsequent section deals with the list of punishments for violating some of the state laws.
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Punishment Chart for Violating the Rule
Offense |
Type Of Offense |
Penalty |
Keeping concentrated cannabis or marijuana by people under the age of 21 |
Infraction |
Fine of $100 for people above 18 but below 21. Drug counseling or community services for people below 18. |
Possessing cannabis above the allowed amount, that is 28.5 for marijuana and more than 8 g for concentrated cannabis (for people above 18) |
Misdemeanor |
Fine up to $500 or stay in county jail for 6 months. |
Possessing cannabis above the allowed amount, that is 28.5 for marijuana and more than 4 g for concentrated cannabis (for people below 18) |
Infraction |
Drug counseling and community services |
Keeping concentrated cannabis or marijuana based on K-12 school ( For people 18 or over) |
Misdemeanor |
For the first time, a fine of $250 |
Keeping concentrated cannabis or marijuana based on K-12 school ( For people below 18) |
Infraction |
Drug counseling and community services |
So, these are the punishments you might face for violating state cannabis law.
Conclusion
Like in every state, the cannabis delivery law and other marijuana-related law in California is upgrading continuously. So, before you purchase, read the updated law carefully and then decide on your dosage and amount of order.